Cut A Real Pain In Neck For Peoria Right-hander

The Peoria right-hander had thrown just two innings this spring, both scoreless, before getting the word early in the day. He had been scheduled to pitch the eighth inning against the Twins Sunday before rain stopped it after 5 1/2 with no score.

``He got hurt a little bit and couldn`t pitch,`` said manager Gene Lamont, ``but as you get along in spring training, you just don`t have the innings (to give).``

Lamont said it was neck soreness that cost Dunne.

``The neck hurt me for four days-that`s one game,`` said Dunne, who wasn`t really bitter as much as disappointed. ``I only pitched in two, so I didn`t get a long look.``

He had said last week that he would go quietly to Triple-A Vancouver if he were given a fair shot. He`ll still go, but not in silence.

``Last year, I got seven innings with the Padres (who released him), and I didn`t think that was fair,`` Dunne said. ``This year, I got two innings. So you can read into that.``

Of the five pitchers sent down, three (excepting Rod Bolton and Greg Perschke) had combined for seven shutout innings-two by Dunne, three by Rich Scheid, two by Johnny Ruffin.

- Charlie Hough threw five innings and Wilson Alvarez one in that scoreless tie, played in a drizzle that finally turned to serious rain. Sammy Sosa was 2 for 2, lifting his average to an even .300 (12 for 40), and threw out Chili Davis trying to score from third a fly to medium-deep right.